(CNN) - Sen. Joe Biden on Wednesday defended criticism of running mate Barack Obama’s Senate record while campaigning in the crucial battleground state of Florida.

“Barack has real experience,” the Democratic VP candidate said. “This guy could have written his ticket to go anywhere. Anywhere at all.”

Biden was speaking at a campaign event focused on the economy in Fort Myers, Florida and discuessed Obama’s stance on the war in Iraq, his work on ethics reform in the Senate, and his proposals on solving the energy crisis. Biden also explicitly dismissed Senator John McCain’s experience in the Senate.

“30 years of bad experience ain’t worthwhile experience,” he said. “You’re not going to take your car—you’re not going to take your car back to a mechanic who for 30 years in a row has screwed it up.”

Biden himself has spent 36 years in the Senate. McCain has worked in Congress since 1982, serving in the Senate since 1987.

Biden was specifically responding to comments McCain aide Rick Davis made to The Washington Post earlier this week when he predicted that this election will come down to each candidates' personas.

"This election is not about issues," Davis said to The Post. "This election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates."

“Not about issues?” Biden said. “Well, let me tell you, that means to them this election is not about you being able to scrape up the tuition money to send your kid off to college this September. It's not about whether or not you're going to fill up your gas tank.”

soundoff(235 Responses)

I see the libs are hard at work today on the blogs.......I would get back to work if I were you the free liberal hand outs have not started coming yet.

September 3, 2008 03:14 pm at 3:14 pm |

Nita in Fort Myers

Go get 'em Joe!!! I sat here at my desk in Bonita Springs listening to Joe Biden this morning. The others in my office were grinning at me the whole time. I kept yelling "Get 'em Joe!"

As stated by RyanD. earlier ... "Not about issues my butt."

Obama-Biden '08

September 3, 2008 03:14 pm at 3:14 pm |

sb

Does the slogan "Country First" mean- Racism, Bible, Guns and hypocrisy. Cling to your guns and religion when you believe the BS from your own party.Sub-educated inbred Racist morons. Lets all hear Lee Greenwood sing "Proud to be an American".

September 3, 2008 03:15 pm at 3:15 pm |

Johnny

This election is all about the ISSUES..

Economy
War
Inflation
Devalued US Dollar
All this effects me, my family, and my counrty.

I am not voting for parties.. I am looking at the meat of the matter, not the sizzle.
I dont care if someone can field strip a moose, what ever that means. Or is a POW, My dad was a POW, and that doesnt mean he could run our Company.

I am glad someone knows the truth, and can keep on topic.

September 3, 2008 03:15 pm at 3:15 pm |

Beth2008

The Republicans are trying to twist everything. I was sick just watching the convention yesterday – a bunch of lies, Bush talking nonsense....I hope that those Hillary supporters who have promised to vote for McCain think about this more carefully. Palin cannot possibly claim she is ready to lead this nation – plus she is as conservative as they get. McCain screwed up by choosing someone like Palin for his VP. It only shows that he is appealing to the super conservative base, he gave in to their demands........ it makes me wonder what else he will do under pressure from the super conservative republicans. I do not like Obama, but given the choices, I hope Obama and Biden win in November. A McCain/Palin administration would be a disaster!

September 3, 2008 03:15 pm at 3:15 pm |

mfelder

Do you realize that Senator Obama is currently the only African American serving in the the US Senate. There has been only 4 other African Americans to serve in this post.

September 3, 2008 03:16 pm at 3:16 pm |

AJLP

Liberals are getting nervous........

September 3, 2008 03:18 pm at 3:18 pm |

Debby

Yeah Joe okay now that your the VP pick Obama has experience all of a sudden what a joke the Dems. are. Hillary was their best choice and the people once again blew by voting for weak instead of strength.

September 3, 2008 03:18 pm at 3:18 pm |

Heated in TX

I am glad that I wont be voting for the Anti-Christ come November ~ for those of you who do, good luck in the next life

McCain/Palin 08

September 3, 2008 03:19 pm at 3:19 pm |

Cross That BRidge Teddy

>Kinda scary that Ann Davidson doesn’t even know how to pronounce the VP candidate's name!

Teddy introduced nobama as oshama bin obama, er, obama bin oo,

Do you really want to go down the path of who remembers who's name?????? LOL!

you libbies crack me up.

McCain/Palin 08!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

September 3, 2008 03:19 pm at 3:19 pm |

Jerry

Why is the republican party trying to compare Obama with Palin the experience McCain has 90% voted with Bush that the worst experience you can have.....Not one time last nite at the Republican convention they talk about the economy. Palin does not have foreign policy experience...

Obama/Biden 08

September 3, 2008 03:20 pm at 3:20 pm |

proud army and navy mom

Since when in history have we compared the Expierence of a President (Osama) to that of a VP (Palin) You libs are really trying to justify his experience.

SHE IS NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT YOUR UNQUALIFIED OSAMA IS AND HE HAS NO EXPIERENCE COMPARED TO MCCAIN

September 3, 2008 03:20 pm at 3:20 pm |

Mike

Please do not let the Democrats attack Palin because that is sexist and mean and she might cry.
And do not try to imagine Palin facing Putin, you will shudder at the thought.

September 3, 2008 03:20 pm at 3:20 pm |

jose

Oh yeah, Barack certainly has "real" experience – he is a Yale graduate who is the son of another Yale graduate. Oh yeah, your average common man.

Meanwhile, Gov. Palin is undergoing family issues that can arise in any typical family and she's the evil one. Please.

If this were an issues-based election, I'd vote for Obama, but it's not. It's clearly about personality, so based on that – I'm voting McCain/Palin. I may agree with them about 50% of the time, but at least they're not full of themselves.

September 3, 2008 03:21 pm at 3:21 pm |

Lee

Carol, I am of OBAMAs nationality and I take your comments as RACIST. I serve (active duty) this country with pride and I have three kids that I take care of so, my question to you is "WHAT THE HELL do you know about my nationality?"

September 3, 2008 03:21 pm at 3:21 pm |

Diego

True experience, what a concept! The fact that Obama himself argued that he has more experience than the number two on the Republican ticket, because he has been running a political campaign for most of his time in the US Senate is mind boggling. First of all, he is essentially admitting that nothing he did in the short stint of time where he actually showed up to work was worth mentioning. Secondly he is taking credit for what his campaign staff is doing and his speech writers are writing. His own inexperience provides him about as much of a punch in that interpretation of his qualifications to be the next president as would have been responding to Palin's nomination with an eloquent "your mom" on national television. Are people seriously taking that statement or any future qualification of his expertise to heart? Why is the main stream media not jumping all over the fact that he could not come up with a better example of his executive ability than running for president? Open your eyes!

September 3, 2008 03:21 pm at 3:21 pm |

bob ghetti

Gotta love the democrats. They scream that the Republican VP does not have experience , but quickly get defensive when someone points out that their Presidental candidates entire resume is 3 years in the senate and work as a "community organizer". By the way , anyone really know what a community organizer does?

September 3, 2008 03:21 pm at 3:21 pm |

Typical White Person

CM – "He's been a senator for longer than your girl has been in politics."

CM, you are mistaken. Palin began her political career in 1992. Obama started in 1997. So she started at a younger age and has been in politics longer.

September 3, 2008 03:22 pm at 3:22 pm |

Peter E

Speaking of that tutition money... Obama himself never had to lift a finger to pay through his privileged schooling. It was his maternal grandparents who pampered him through it all.

September 3, 2008 03:22 pm at 3:22 pm |

Ian Minneapolis, MN

I'm sorry, I'm not the biggest fan of two party politics, but these guys are looking better and better everyday. Keep up the good work guys!

September 3, 2008 03:22 pm at 3:22 pm |

obama for potus!!! si se puede!!!

all sara palin needs to do is take a two week vacation i mean fact finding mission in Europe, and she will be just as qualified as obama on the matters of foriegn relations. Isnt being a gov. of a state closer to being POTUS then a state senator or a us senator, executively speaking of cource?
Why does Obama say Mcamnesty isnt qualified to be potus because of his "lack of judgement" on Iraq, and then pick a VP who is just one heartbeat away from being POTUS who voted FOR the Iraq war?
I know this wont get posted but maybe if the obama police arent around then it will, and an enlightened liberal might could answer my probably racist questions.

September 3, 2008 03:23 pm at 3:23 pm |

Debbie

I can't even bring myself to watch the RNC. Suddenly having a son in the military is "the most important foreign policy experience there is". And "balancing a family budget" is good economic experience. Maybe we should just draw names out of a hat at the supermarket to see who gets to be VP. I realize that the Republicans are just trying to make the best of a bad situation (since McCain alone picked Palin), but the level of bull**** is too much. This just shows McCain's judgement – not very good.

September 3, 2008 03:23 pm at 3:23 pm |

Country First - Small town MA

voter:

I'm sorry. I must be mistaken, does the Community Organizer have that specific experience you mention? Really? Show me. Specifics – if you can.

No Surrender

September 3, 2008 03:23 pm at 3:23 pm |

HD

Obama has the experience to choose an experience VP,Palin are you kidding me I am not a stupid woman the mayor, population 7ooo are you
for real give me a break OBAMA/Biden always

September 3, 2008 03:24 pm at 3:24 pm |

Typical White Person

...and she is currently holding a more responsible position that Obama.